This was an amazing episode. ¬†It focused on accepting yourself with all the things that you think need fixing, the things you don’t like about yourself. ¬†It was based around Lady Gaga’s new song “Born This Way.” ¬†I highly recommend this one, even if you’re not a big Glee fan (and side note, Kurt’s number from Sunset Boulevard was possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard on the show, I had tears streaming down my face by the end of it). For the big number at the end, all the kids wore white t-shirts with black lettering spelling out the one thing they are most self-conscious about. ¬†It was powerful and moving. Artie’s t-shirt said “four-eyes.” ¬†He was not a focus on this episode, but even so, I...

Thanks to a suggestion right here on the blog, I have been watching The Book Group. Here’s the description on IMDB: “American Clare Pettengill, newly arrived in Glasgow, starts up a book group in order to make some new friends. The group consists of three unhappy European football wives, a pretentious drug-addict student, a closet-homosexual football enthusiast, and a kind and gentle struggling author in a wheelchair. Each week they meet to read and discuss a new book, which always affects or influences each of the group’s lives in some way.” It’s available to watch on Hulu. Kenny is the paraplegic character and so far I’m finding him well done.¬† It’s a nuanced performance with his disability playing not too large or too...

This movie may have done me¬†permanent¬†psychological damage! ¬†It is incredibly disturbing on many levels. I’m sad that this is what gave the wonderful Emily Watson her break. ¬†She deserved better. ¬†I saw it when it first came out in 1996 and I am definitely not going to watch it again for the purpose of this blog (or for any other reason). Even people who don’t have a problem with the disability portrayal had trouble dealing with the weird pacing and style. Since I have blocked as much of it from my mind as I can, I will give you another reviewer’s take. ¬†This is DevoGirl’s assessment: Breaking the Waves Denmark 1996 no stars Directed by art-house darling Lars von Trier, so already you know it’s going to be more painful than...

Wild Wild West Yuck. ¬†That sums that movie up. ¬†I can pretty much stop there. This movie depends heavily on the stereotype of disabled=evil. ¬†This character comes across as not even human, just cackling and one-dimensional. I can’t imagine who thought this was a good idea. ¬†Why in the world did¬†renown¬†Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branagh¬†agree to this? Someone in this team of writers or producers decided that it would make sense for Loveless, who uses crazy machines to fight people, to be part machine himself. ¬†At least I’m certain that’s the way that person looked at a wheelchair. ¬†Did we really need yet another example of disabled=evil in media? ¬†I don’t care that it’s a stupid movie not meant for thought, just imagine how ¬†much...